A polarizing figure who shifted from libertarian politics to a conviction for hate-motivated intimidation.
In short: Born Austin Mitchell Gillespie, Augustus Sol Invictus transformed himself into a far-right activist and legal provocateur. From ritualistic animal sacrifice to high-profile criminal trials, his career spans from a 2016 Senate bid to a 2025 jail sentence, leaving a trail of controversy that continues to challenge legal and political boundaries.
Augustus Sol Invictus, born in 1984, emerged in the public eye during his 2016 campaign for the U.S. Senate in Florida. Initially running as a Libertarian, his candidacy triggered a crisis within the party. Local leadership resigned in protest, citing his neo-fascist views and his admission to a 2013 ritual involving the sacrifice of a goat. While he later shifted his affiliation to the Republican Party, his political trajectory remained defined by extreme rhetoric, including calls to strip voting rights from non-white, non-male citizens and the advocacy of policies that would repeal major constitutional amendments.
Beyond the ballot box, Invictus became a central figure in the alt-right movement, notably speaking at the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. His legal career, which began after his 2011 graduation from DePaul University College of Law, was frequently overshadowed by his personal conduct. He faced numerous allegations of domestic violence and stalking across multiple states, leading to several arrests and periods of incarceration. Although he was acquitted of domestic violence charges in 2022 after his accuser failed to testify, his legal standing suffered significantly following his involvement in the Charlottesville event.
The culmination of these legal entanglements arrived in 2024, when a jury convicted him of a felony for burning an object with the intent to intimidate. By January 2025, he received a nine-and-a-half-month jail sentence, a development that resulted in his suspension from the practice of law in Florida. Throughout these years, Invictus has maintained a complex and shifting personal identity, transitioning from a Thelemite and pagan to a self-described traditionalist Catholic, while continuing to publish his far-right outlet, The Revolutionary Conservative.
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